The International Tunnelling Association‘s (ITA) World Congress in Singapore this month is all set to be an event to remember. Founded in 1974, the ITA celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and according to the organisers, support for the event from the international tunnelling community has been overwhelming.

The beginnings of the ITA

The main impetus for the establishment of an international tunnelling association first began with Kenneth Orski. Orski worked for the Scientific Directorate of the OECD, in Paris, and was responsible for the organisation of an international conference on tunnelling in Washington DC, US, in the summer of 1970. In an article published in T&T, March 1970, Orski explained the intentions of the conference: “Its aim to provide the governments of the Member Countries with a policy analysis of tunnelling technology – if the conference succeeds in this task, it may well serve as a prototype and vanguard for a series of national and international efforts…”

The final work product of this conference was a set of explicit recommendations, prepared by a special drafting committee chaired by Sir Alan Muir Wood of the UK. The resulting document concluded that national tunnelling associations should be established as soon as possible, with the aim that these national bodies would in turn become part of a wider international organisation.

Over the next few years numerous national tunnelling organisations were founded on the basis of these OECD conference conclusions and on 25 April 1974, representatives of 15 nations gathered together in Oslo, Norway, to discuss the formation of an International Tunnelling Association.

This inaugural meeting was a great success, with delegates eager to get the Association formally set up so that activities could start without delay (T&T, May 1974). Sir Alan Muir Wood was elected chairman, with the Association Francaise des Travaux en Souterrain volunteering to head up the Secretariat. T&T was invited to act as a focus for enquires and information concerning the Association, channelling information through to the Secretariat as soon as the latter was organised.

30 years on

The ITA and its annual World Congress has grown from strength to strength and the response to this year’s call for papers has been outstanding. The technical programme for the Congress includes a wide range of papers submitted from tunnelling communities around the world.

Organising Committee chairman, Prof Jian Zhao, from the Underground Technology and Rock Engineering Program at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, expects an exciting event. “The Congress will be packed with about 180 presentations, 60 exhibitions and many other associated events. We expect more than 800 people to attend, many of them first timers to the ITA World Tunnel Congress, particularly from the rapid developing countries and regions in Asia, notably China,” he said.

Supported by the Singapore Tunnelling and Underground Construction Society, the Singapore Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Institution of Engineers, the event – including the ITA Executive Council Meeting and General Assembly – takes place at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, situated in Raffles Boulevard, from Saturday 22 May to Thursday 27 May.

Following an opening address by the guest of honour, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong, Singapore’s Minister for Transport, keynote lectures will be presented by distinguished speakers, on topics such as “Latest achievements and perspectives in tunnel safety”, “Urban soft ground tunnelling in China – Experiences from Shanghai and other cities”.

As well a the usual ‘Rock Tunnelling’ and ‘Soft Ground Tunnelling’ technical sessions, topics for the Congress also include ‘Cost, Risk and Insurance’, ‘Improvement of Face Stability’, ‘Fire’, ‘Settlement and Building Effects’, reflecting key issues that the industry faces.

A wide range of associated events have also been organised, including the WTC Welcome Reception on the 24 May, the Congress Dinner on the 25 May and a golf tournament on the 27 May at the exclusive Sentosa Golf Cub, on Sentosa Island. As usual an Exhibition will also run along side the Congress, from 9am to 5pm on the 24-26 May, and with upwards of 60 companies and organisations is one of the largest to date.

A wide variety of technical site visits and city tours have also been co-ordinated for the 27 May, including site visits to the MRT Circle Line, the Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway, the Harbour Drive to Labrador Cable Tunnel and Jurong Island – where the Nanyang Technological University is conducting a detailed feasibility study for the development of 4Mm3 oil and gas storage facility in sub-sea cavern complex.

Celebrations all round

As well as celebrate the ITA’s 30th anniversary, this month’s issue of the magazine also marks T&T’s own 35th birthday. As the longest standing specialist tunnelling publication devoted to the international industry, T&T revels in events such as the ITA General Assembly and World Tunnel Congress.

The T&T team spend every day striving towards good communication of knowledge, research, practice, ideas and opinion within this industry and are proud of the magazine’s long standing association with the ITA. As usual, T&T will have a stand at the Congress exhibition and the team will be present to join in the celebrations with all those who make the trip to Singapore.

See you there!

Related Files
Conference Programme